Velo Podcast

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we go inside Paris-Nice's coronavirus precautions with James Startt, who is one of the few media members covering the race. Startt spoke with ASO's Christian Prudhomme and other officials about the precautions that have been taken with the race to ward off the virus. There are no spectators, no post-race interviews, and absolutely no hugs and kisses on the post-race podium. Is this the model that pro cycling can adopt to keep events safe in the future? Andrew Hood discusses the wider scope of the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the pro cycling calendar. The postponement of Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo, and Tirreno-Adriatico will have a dramatic impact on the top riders and their seasonal goals. Plus, what can we expect from the Belgian classics and Giro d'Italia in the coming weeks? Then, Betsy Welch joins the show to discuss our latest project, Monuments of Gravel. We went in search of the five gravel events that carry the most prestige to win. We devised a voting system to help us determine the races, and then posed the question to the elite gravel racers on the circuit. Everything you want to know about the Monuments of Gravel project is discussed on this episode. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

We’re incredibly lucky here at Fast Talk to be able to talk with some of the most intelligent physiologists, coaches, and athletes about training, and sport science generally, on a weekly basis. We glean so much insightful information just by having access to them on a regular basis. Through Coach Connor’s countless hours of dedicated research to keep up on the latest science, we’re then able to synthesize all of this information into what we hope are digestible conversations, helping you to better understand the science that propels cycling performance. Occasionally, we like to step back and summarize the things we’ve learned, often prompted by the many questions we receive from our dedicated listeners. Today is just such an occasion. The last time we did this type of show was Episode 68: The Big Picture-The Three Types of Rides You Should Do. Today, we look at the big picture when it comes to training in zones, or ranges, versus training a target number. Because what number is best? We talk about training zones constantly. If your zone 2 is 160 to 190 watts, then is training at 190 watts better than 170 watts? Is going harder better? Stay tuned for those answers. Next, we’ll address four fundamental principles of human physiology that relate to training in ranges: specifically aerobic and anaerobic thresholds, fat burning capacity, and maximal lactate clearance. All in an effort to maximize your training experience. Finally, we take an opportunity to remind everyone that humans aren’t machines. Perhaps that’s stating the obvious, but sometimes it’s good to remind ourselves that we are all individuals and have different needs, and goals for our riding. Today we hear from a vast array of former Fast Talk guests, including: -Colby Pearce, an incredible time trialist, coach, and bike fitting expert -Dr. Stephen Seiler, one of the world’s leading sports physiologists -Sepp Kuss, pro cyclist with Jumbo-Visma -Toms Skujins, pro cyclist with Trek-Segafredo -Dr. Andy Coggan and Dr. Stephen McGregor, leading exercise physiologists -Hunter Allen, leading cycling coach -Sebastian Webber, lead scientist at INSCYD and elite cycling coach Let's make you fast!

Neil Shirley from Enve Wheels joins tech editor Dan Cavallari on the Tech Podcast to recount his recent trip to France to help NTT Pro Cycling riders find the optimal tire/rim combination for the spring classics. Shirley spent time with Edvald Boasson Hagen and Michael Gogl as they rode the Paris-Roubaix cobble sectors. The idea was to get the riders accustomed to tubeless tires and find the right combination to counter P-R's brutal cobbles and the smoother pavement miles in between. Cavallari and Shirley also talk about what makes tubeless tires faster than tubed and tubular tires, as well as some of the reasoning behind the "wider is faster" phenomenon.

Pro cycling has been put on hold this week by the global spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), which forced the cancellation of Strade Bianche and the shortening of the UAE Tour. On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we speak with editor Jim Cotton who was on the ground at the UAE Tour and underwent five days of quarantine due to coronavirus. Jim takes us inside his experience at UAE Tour and explains, step by step, how the race was cancelled and the riders and staff placed in quarantine. Jim was tested for the virus and eventually returned to the UK, but not before he spent five days locked in his hotel room. After that we hear from Peter Stetina about his 2020 gravel campaign, and why being a privateer gravel racer is far more complicated than being a WorldTour road racer. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

TrainingPeaks, Strava, RideWithGPS, Fastest Bike Split, live TV with stream power data... The past 10 years have seen an explosion of data capture and sharing, not only from athlete to coach but to UCI and WADA and the public The way we train, race, consume and analyze cycling has been irreversibly changed by the proliferation of data. On today's episode, we take a look at how the world has changed with the sharing of data. Bobby bought his first power meter in 1999. "I had next to no clue of what it was," he said. "It was very much a status symbol." Fast forward to 2020, and power data is ubiquitous - something Friel says is healthy for the sport for a number of reasons, including clean sport, publicity, fan understanding and fan excitement.

Welcome to episode 100 with Dr. Stephen Seiler! We are so proud to have now brought 100 episodes of our passion for the bike to you. Thanks to all of you for coming along with us as we’ve interviewed some of the best physiologists, nutritionists, and athletes in professional cycling, and many of the most knowledgeable coaches in the world. Today in episode 100, we get nearly two hours of Dr. Seiler, aka the Jay-Z of physiology. Our conversation is very natural, casual even, but there are so many moments of enlightenment and clarity. Yes, Trevor wrote an outline for the show, as he always does. Thanks, Trevor. Then we proceeded to completely disregard it. In many ways, it makes for a heck of a good show. We learn about the inception of the polarized method, from the creator himself. We discuss Dr. Seiler’s current research on the all-important aerobic threshold. And we jaw—that’s my nod to his Texas roots—about the future of sport science. Get ready for the wisdom to drop. Are you following Dr. Seiler on Twitter? If not, you should. He’s @StephenSeiler. He frequently posts workout challenges, surveys, and his commentary on new scientific research and studies. Now, sit back and grab your favorite beverage, or, better yet, find a nice long stretch of lonely road to listen in. Let's make you fast!

In most careers, people retire when they are in their 60s, or even 70s. For professional cyclists, however, retirement usually comes in a rider's 30s. For someone who has built their lifestyle, body, and identity around the sport, what happens when that is suddenly gone? Bobby Julich and Gus Morton have both crossed that bridge, and they dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly of that transition. They are joined by special guest Gearoid Towey, a former Olympian and founder of the Crossing the Line Foundation, a program aimed at helping athletes transition out of their athletic careers and into a more socially standard one.

On this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast we discuss Nairo Quintana's thrilling start to the 2020 season with his new French team, Arkea-Samsic. James Startt was there to see Quintana drop everyone on the slopes of Mont Ventoux at the recent le Tour de la Provence, and has some information on why Quintana seems to be thriving with his new French team. Startt also discusses the Arkea team, and what Quintana's signing means to the French outfit. Then, Betsy Welch joins the podcast to discuss her recent story on the Beti Bike Bash festival, the all-women's mountain bike racing in Colorado. Now in its 11th year, the Beti Bike Bash is a low-stress race that has introduced numerous cyclists to organized competition. In 2019 the event almost ceased after it faced a sponsorship crush. Welch explains how the event came back from the brink. All that and more on this week's episode of The VeloNews Podcast.

Swim, bike, run. I can do two of these things well. The third could cause my death... For our guests today, however, putting these disciplines together represents a good day's work. Of course, I’m talking about triathlon. And while Fast Talk has always been primarily about cycling, we know we have many triathlete listeners. In addition, many of the physiological concepts that apply to triathletes also pertain to cyclists and other endurance athletes. So, in episode 99, we delve into both the nuances of triathlon and how training for that sport relates to endurance training and cycling generally. We ask: Should triathlon be seen as three sports, or one? What are the most common training mistakes that triathletes make? What are the best ways to manage three different disciplines? And what can cyclists learn from how triathletes train? Our primary guest is Melanie McQuaid, the first person to win the XTERRA world championship three times. She is now a triathlon coach in Canada, and she joins us on Fast Talk to get specific and scientific about training three sports. We’re also joined by my friend and former pro triathlete Whitney Garcia. Because of her path to the sport, and her ability to reflect on it now as a retired athlete, Whitney offers insight into the training dos and don’ts with great clarity.

Road rash. Weeping wounds. Tegaderm. A cyclist's life is likely to involve at least one of those things at some point. Senior editor Betsy Welch has seen all that and more in her pre-VeloNews life as a Registered Nurse. She joins tech editor Dan Cavallari on the tech podcast to talk about first aid kits and things you should carry with you on every ride.